Playing with Darkness
by Touch.Off.The.Noodles
Summary: Esther Ridgeway doesn't know how weird her life really is. Vampires, dark magic, and a talking skeleton? Little does she know that she has a little magic up her sleeve... and when I mean 'little' I mean hell of a lot. R&R please:  Skulduggery Pleasant FF.
1. Chapter 1

I sat there in class, staring at the impossible Physics equation on the whiteboard. Sometimes I just want to kick the teacher's ass.

I twirled my pen around my fingers, not having a care in the world. I didn't care if I was put on detention. Again. My parents won't care; they're dead.

My eyes swung out at the Irish sky. I just wish I could float there, just me. In my own little world…

"Esther!" A loud bang hurled me back into reality

"Mr. Samson…?" I muttered. Here we go.

"If you don't start paying attention in class, I will have you reported to the school council!" He reminded me of a fairy tale ogre at times. Ugly. Old. Bedraggled.

Even his breath was an ogre stench. I tried so hard not to place my hand over my nose.

"Woe, sir! Subway this morning was it?" The class fell out of their seats laughing. I joined with the laughter, then suddenly realised what I just said.

"Esther Ridgeway! How DARE you speak to me in that manner!" I couldn't remember the rest of the rant.

I was too busy looking out the window from the corner of my eye.

A man stood a fair way from where I was looking. Even though he was a fair distance away I felt him looking right at me.

He gave a small wave, his mouth widening into a smile.

Then I started paying attention to my row again…

"…And I will see Mr Jeffries has something to say about this!" He grabbed my shirt and dragged me out of the classroom.

Screaming at the top of my voice, I tried to squirm my way back to my seat, but it was no use.

As soon as he slammed the door of his classroom, leaving us two alone in the corridor, it was my turn to rant.

"You can't do that! I can sue you for assault!"

"I didn't hurt you, child. I simply did the old fashioned thing; drag them out by the scruff of their neck. Or jumper for you."

I backed away from him so fast I fell onto the floor. I don't know why but I felt all this energy just flow inside me. It was painful.

The source of the pain throbbed on my left index finger, where the ring my dad gave me. Before he… nah, I won't bore you.

Mr Samson slowly crept towards me, a gleam in his eye.

"Esther. You've been a menace to this school ever since you stepped through those gates 3 years ago, with your showy pranks and your high attitude. But I've had enough, and I'm the only teacher brave enough to say that."

I edged away a little more, worry filling my guts. What the hell was he on? Yeah I know he was bonkers and only telling the truth, but what did he mean he's the only teacher 'brave' enough?

"What in the bleedin' hell are you talking about sir?" My voice went a tone higher because I was starting to crap my pants.

"Your dangerous Esther. To the teachers, pupils, the staff and the head. I thought now would be the time, to 'get rid of you'." He made the air quotes with his snivelling fingers.

Mr Samson fell to the floor and doubled up as if he were in extreme pain. I just lay there in shock. I was also amazed about how no pupils could hear this. Must be soundproof walls.

Mr Samson's head suddenly shot up. Two huge fangs (yes, I said fangs) extended from his jaw. He shot his eyes straight at me. They were pitch black.

I didn't know what the heck just happened, but as I saw in many horror movies there's only one thing the girl does. That's run like hell.

I jumped up and staggered slightly from the shock. Mr Samson jumped in unison and lunged for me.

Falling back onto the floor in perfect timing, Mr Samson went flying over my head and in a heap in the middle of the corridor. I found a chair abandoned by a few lockers and I threw it at the teacher. It smacked him in the head and he snarled in pain. My legs sprinted for the fire exit on the next left.

A faint growl from behind me seemed to drain my eardrums in fear, so I guessed he was up again. I grabbed the fire exit door and pulled with all my might. It wouldn't budge.

Remembering that the fire exit doors only open if the fire alarm is triggered, I kicked the door in anger.

What a crappy system, in such a crappy school.

The growl was getting louder. My brain fell short for ideas so I looked around wildly for a place to hide. My eyes darted over the janitor's closet.

I dived in and shut the door. Burying myself in the mops and washing up bowls, I threw my hands over my mouth.

The growl turned into a snarl. He sounded as if he was right outside the closet. I froze in fear. A tear rolled down my cheek.

"Mr Samson? Mr Samson? Can I have a word please?" A small voice rose from the other end of the corridor. That voice just saved my life.

I heard him squeal in panic, and another painful gasp. He gave a throaty cough and started walking.

"I thought I could hear your voice from somewhere!" It was the voice of Mrs Davey, head of Dramatic Arts.

"Yes, um, I was checking the fire safety door again. Heard some kids been trying to pull it open."

"Ah okay, cause I have a message for you and when I walked into your class you weren't there. Why would you leave your class to check on a door anyway?"

Their conversation started to fade away around the corner. As soon as I couldn't hear them I broke down and wept.

I had been so scared, petrified. My teacher, who has been teaching me Science and has been my registration teacher for the past 3 years, was some kind of psycho with really long teeth? Like some kind of vampire psycho?

My head dropped to my knees and wept a river.

The insanity I used to have was hanging on a tiny, worn out thread.

It's time for a chat to Uncle Frankie….


	2. Chapter 2

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After 'letting it all out' my head slowly popped out of the closet.

No one to the left. No one to the right.

I breathed out heavily and fell out of the closet onto the cold hard floor.

My feet weren't responding. I kicked my legs but they lay limp.

Crawling with the almighty strength of my arms, I made my way to the corridor.

Icicles filled me with fear when I saw a teacher looking the opposite way down the other side of the corridor. None other than Mr Samson.

What is he, some kind of stalker? Everywhere I go he's THERE. Well, he's been wanting to get rid of me and he's been plotting how. That's what I think.

He reminds me of Mr Harvey from the film _The Lovely Bones. _Twisted, quiet minded, holds in rage unless it's needed, and he constantly watches people from the seclusion of his home. I don't know if Samson does the last part, but I know he watches people.

The question that was running through my mind; Has he ever committed murder or rape? Or both? Both was Mr Harvey's answer. I stared at Mr Samson, deciphering the answers.

He turned his head. Oh no, oh God no. He was walking this way.

And I was in almost perfect view.

I pushed myself against a wall and jerked my legs.

'C'mon! Work you stupid pieces of meat!' Of course I said this quietly, or Samson would have rugby tackled me by now.

A shock ran through my body and pierced my veins. It hurt a lot, but at least my feet were responding now.

A tear of relief splashed onto my jumper and I sprung up. I cocked my head and saw the teacher sprinting towards me.

How would he know it's me? Some smart teacher.

My legs darted forwards as I ran to the exit. I pulled the door open with all my might and slammed it shut again.

An old pipe lolled against the curb. It looked like a pretty good barrier for the door..

After quickly shoving the pipe between the handles of the school doors I ran to the bike rack.

My bike was the only one there. I must have been in the closet for ages.

The time was 4:07 according to my watch.

Must have fallen asleep while crying.

Leaping onto my bike and moving my legs a hundred miles an hour on the pedals, the only thing that raced through my head was when Mr Samson transformed. Into that.. THING.

The brakes were pulled and the bike came to a halt. My eyes came to a house.

My house.

No, Uncle Frankie's house. My house was destroyed.

I parked the bike in the garage and stepped up the stairs into the kitchen.

Frankie sat on his dark green sofa in the living room. His beer belly stuck out of his green Irish rugby jersey. He was watching the sports channel. He watches the sports when he wears the jersey.

I walked into the living room and sat on my black leather chair. The chair had been with me since birth. It was something that I needed. The chair was like a teddy. It cuddled me.

"Afternoon pumpkin! Your back a bit late comin' back, ain't you?" Uncle Frankie chirped with his strong accent. His eyes were glued to the screen, a can of Carlsberg an inch from his lips.

"Yeah, sorry Frankie.." My voice sounded distant, as if I was whispering.

He sat up and turned to me, I could tell he only woke up about 3 hours ago.

"What's up hun?"

"Oh, um, don't worry." My eyes fell to the broken floorboard in the corner. It needs fixing.

Another sip from the can. His eyes still on me. "I know this little scenario. Let me finish the rugby, then I'll be straight up to have a chat, okay love?" He gave a smile, making me smile back.

"But I want to watch the rugby with you Uncle Frankie." My little baby talk took over.

"No no, you have a little kip first. I've been up a few hours and I'm wide awake, you look like you just came back fro the morgue darlin'." Giving me his little Mafia act. A grin spread across my face. He always made me laugh when he impersonates the Mafia.

"Fine. But the big game's on tonight!" I slung my bag over my shoulder and trudged up the stairs. Exhaustion had overpowered my muscles so they couldn't be bothered to work properly.

The bed caught me as I fell onto the comfy sheets. Instantly I was in a deep sleep

Mist. it was all mist. I couldn't see a thing.

I took cautious steps forward. Normally in my dreams I fall down some kind of pit, so I'm being aware this time.

"Esther."

A whisper, from behind me.

I turned on my heel. No one. Typical.

"This ain't funny. Yeah, it's a dream, but when you do this it really irritates me. So just stand before me, please."

A gush of air slapped me in the face, pushing me back.

Stumbling and crashing into the floor, I threw my head up and looked around wildly.

Two dark figures stood over me. One male. One female. I don't know how, but I just knew that.

A dark long shape slung out from the mist, as if it was trying to help me up.

Gingerly I let out my arm. I was suddenly dragged up onto my feet.

"It's nice to see you again, Esther." A quiet voice broke the eery silence in the mist.

I rubbed my eyes and a couple had replaced the dark figures.

They seemed familiar. Then it hit me.

"Hi Mum, Dad."

They exchanged smiles and threw one to me. I couldn't help but throw one back.

"Glad to see your well." Dad's eyes looked like huge oceans, about to flood a nation. Mum's weren't much different.

I didn't know how to feel. It was a dream. Emotions go on holiday in my dreams.

"I'm also glad Frankie's taking care of you. You look smashin' darlin'." You can tell they were brothers; always acting like a clown. Mum giggled and they entwined hands. Typical lovebirds.

Brought together. Died together. It's like Romeo and Juliet, but a more cynical and sickening version.

An icy cold hand crawled up my back. I shook and blurted out.

"Don't be afraid hun, it's only inspecting you thats all." Mum's voice trembled slightly. This only turned my blood colder.

"If you look down to your hand, that might explain a little." Dad reassured. He placed an arm around Mum. A pale colour had drained her normal flesh.

My eyes trailed down my arm. I noticed black shapes littering the floor, spreading like a stain.

My left index finger felt so close to numbness. The ring that Dad gave me shone a Raven's black.

Puzzlement smacked me in the face. A ring was oozing out freezing black… well, I don't know. I couldn't think of what it could be.

"That ring, Esther. It's very, well, special." Mum's lips trembled when she said 'special'. I tried to walk to them, but the black creepy black gloop had stuck my feet to the ground like glue.

"It's been in the family for generations, babe. I know you can take care of it." A tear fell from Dad's eye.

Why's Dad crying? Dad never cries. Never.

"But it's very dangerous too. It can be used for the great of good, or for total destruction and chaos. I hope you choose wisely which path you'll take with that ring." He seemed to know a lot about the ring.

"But what does it do Dad? And why does it leak out this black crap?" As soon as the word 'crap' escaped from my lips, the black slop morphed itself into some kind of tentacle. It wrapped round my chest and started squeezing.

Mum let out a horrifying scream. Dad's eyes widened. I couldn't tell if they were widened in fear, or excitement.

"Dad.." I wheezed. "Help me Dad… please for Gods sake…" My breath was drawn from me.

"Apologise."

"What…?"

"Apologise to the Shadows. Then they will let you go."

I thought Dad had finally lost the plot, but I obeyed.

"I'm sorry….. please let me go…"

The shadowy tentacles released it's grasp. I fell to the misty ground, spluttering and gagging.

"You've only just adapted the power of Necomancy, so for a short while the shadows will have a mind of their own before you can control it yourself."

My head cocked up and tears had splashed my face.

"Dad, what are you talking about?" I gasped

"Your a Necromancer, Esther," Dad exclaimed, his eyes drilling into mine. "and you'll be a warrior soon. You'll be a fighter. I'm not sure about the good or evil though…"

I sat up and stared at them. Mum looked like she was about the crumble to the floor. My eyes averted to the floor. It was cracking.

"Uncle Frankie will explain it all to you. He'll be here soon." Bits of the floor started falling apart.

"Can't you explain the rest of it?" My lips quivered once again, I didn't want to leave them again.

Yes, I am like a Lindor chocolate. Hard on the outside, but soft and chocolatey on the inside.

(I am a chocoholic, don't judge me.)

"I might have used it, but Frankie had the brains. I had the brawn, as you can see." Dad made a funny muscle pose like a Greek god.

A splutter dispersed from my dried lips.

The shadows slithered up my spine and spread across my shoulders. They cracked the rest of the floor, making my parents disintegrate into dust.

The real world was dragging me into it's presence, but something grabbed me by the neck.

"Hey.." The voice melted seductively in my ear.

My eyes fluttered. Misty blackness..

GASP!

I woke up, jumping out of my bed.

What the heck?

My parents, talking about warriors and shadows and… what the heck was that voice? it played back in my head like a broken record.

Around my room, bits of black hung from everywhere; the ceiling, the wall, the shelves. It seeped out from the bottom of my bed.

"Hey hey hey! Uncle Frankie's here!" The Mafia Man strode into my room. The shadows retreated, as if they were petrified of him. Like when a cat jumps and sprints away from a person walking past.

His eyes caught my ashen face. My pale skin. My black left index finger.

A sigh slipped away. A deep, thoughtful, sorrowed sigh.

He left the room and 10 seconds later he returned, but with a book.

A slightly large book with all weird carvings on it.

He plonked his bum next to mine and opened the front page.

His arm was thrown around me and he pulled me in for a cuddle.

He released my now partly crushed body and got back to the book.

"Esther. I think it's time you learned a little about your family history…"


	3. Chapter 3

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Uncle Frankie flicked through the pages. My pupils darted through the pages, it was all so weird. The deep carvings on the spine shone.

"What has this got anything to do with our family, Uncle Frankie?"

My brain was buzzing with questions while Frankie licked his fingers to turn the page.

"This, Esther, is the world your parents grew up in, and is part of you through your ancestors."

Studying the pictures, my eyebrow raised in an unconvincing manner.

"Elders? Sorcerers? Goblins? Sounds like something from a children's novel."

"I know this looks all childish and make-believe, but surely you can see some truth in in it?"

A stinging pain rose from my arm. I pulled up my sleeve to suddenly find a large dark pink mark on my wrist. The shape was from a hand-grip.

"Why, how did you get that?" My Uncle peered through his specs to inspect. Every time I had an injury he would suddenly turn into Doctor Frankie.

It became very annoying by the time I was 8.

"That…that's the strength of a vampire, before it..well..changes." He added, his eyes moving from my mark and back to the worn out pages.

I didn't want to believe it. My eyes filled with innocent tears. Even though I hated Mr. Harvey with a burning passion, I didn't want to face the fact that he was a bloodthirsty menace.

A vampire.

"..But they don't change until the night, so how is that possible.." Frankie mumbled as his worried eyes fell onto a section which had beasts with huge fangs and evil claws.

"That's what they are supposed to change into, unless they have the antidote." His finger tracing over the creature's vulgar figure.

A nervous shiver slid down my spine.

"Who did this to you?"

My throat became dry. "…Mr Harvey. He was escorting me out of class."

"Can I admit, I always thought that Harvey was an evil type. Guess I was right. A smile lit up his face.

"Anyway, this is what we're looking for." His hand lay flat on a page which had a lot of black markings. The title was a little long, and I have a little trouble reading so the word troubled me.

"Nec…Necra…ah crap, Necrame-"

"Necromancy, love." The pages showed people throwing black substances all over the place, and people in robes.

"This, is all inside that ring." Uncle Frankie took my hand and lifted it up. The black shone beautifully.

"It is a very powerful ring, Esther. It can give you great power if you use it wisely. Some people use it for good, others evil. It's a kind of Dark Magic, so a lot of people use it for bad stuff. Please be careful with that ring, okay?"

"How do you know all this anyway Frankie? About Dad and this Order?" I just felt…distant. As if I was in a desert.

An old friend. Friend of your father. Name was Edgley. Gordon Edgley. He wrote books and was part of this magic world, and he talked to Owen about the Order. Your father was a brilliant Cleric. Clerics are high rankers in the Necromancy Order. He could've been the High Priest of the Order, if it wasn't for that-"

A loud knock of the door interrupted his sentence.

"I better answer that." Uncle Frankie jumped off my bed and started walking down the stairs.

I jumped up with him. "I'll join you." I said with a smile. I just didn't want to be on my own. I felt safer with someone with me.

It was as if Harvey's eyes were latched onto my body.

I waited at the bottom of the stairs while Frankie unlocked the door.

"Hello Mr. Ridgeway. I'm Esther's teacher Mr. Harvey, if you remember, and I was wondering if we could have a little chat."

That evil smile spread across his face.

He stepped into the hall. His deathly glare sliced into my heart.

Beads of sweat dripped from my forehead. My hands became clammy.

"Oh bugger…"


	4. Chapter 4

I wanted to hit Uncle Frankie over the head with a hammer. How the hell could he led this ass-wad into our house? I've told him my 'lovely tales' about this guy -except the recent one where he tried to tear me apart- but… still.

He let him in the house. I was petrified.

"Hello Esther, having a pleasant afternoon?" Oh great, Samson was using his 'sweet teacher voice', the one he uses on retards like Greyson O'Doyle in my math class.

It drove me insane, and he knew it. My veins popped out of my hand in anger.

"I'm fine, thanks…" My throat was dry, and I couldn't look him in the eye. His eyes scared the hell out of me now.

"C'mon then, let's go into the living room and find out what trouble Esther is in now!" Uncle Frankie joked.

I shook as I let go of the banister and shuffled into the living room, Frankie and Samson behind. I took a seat in my chair while Samson and Frankie sat on the double sofa. He went a little red because the room was littered with cans of Heineken and packets of different crisps: MCoy's, Pringles, Walkers, you name it.

"So, what's all this fuss then?" Uncle Frankie sipped a little from his new can of Taurus: Pear Cider. It was unusual for him to drink cider, especially pear.

"Nothing major, just wanted to discuss Esther in general." He looked so casual, innocent. It put me on edge.

"I'll go and make some tea…" I went to escape the room but Mr. Samson stopped me right at the door.

Damn. "Actually, I just want a little talk with you, if you please Esther."

I cautiously made my way back to my chair, eyeing Mr. Samson's icy smile.

"I'll make the tea darlin'. It's okay. I'll be back in 5." He got up and left the room.

"Do you take sugar Mr. Samson?" He called from the kitchen

"Um, 2 sugars please, and a lot of milk. I like my tea milky."

He struck me a serious pedo-face when he said that last sentence, it made my stomach churn.

I gripped the edge of my chair, wondering wether to use the ring on my finger against him. I knew a little about the power, and it could help me.

But I was too late. Mr. Samson got up and closed to door, locking the door knob.

A drop of sweat trickled down the side of my face.

"Fear, Esther." He breathed out and slowly moved towards me.

"You wreek of it."

I jumped out of my seat and ran for the door. He grabbed me by the scruff of my collar and threw me back to the wall. The world spun as I felt a cold liquid drip from behind me. I got up and saw a big crack in the wall, with a few blood splatters.

Worriedly I felt the back of my head for any bumps. Unlucky for me, I felt a gash on the back of my head. My fingers and my palm were splattered with blood.

I looked up and saw his twisted face change once more. Adrenaline surged though my body. Gotta get Uncle Frankie.

I staggered to my feet, my vision was still fuzzy so Samson looked like a scary shape you see in a nightmare. My ankles gave way and I stumbled to floor.

A sharp claw ran down the nape of my neck. I gasped in horror.

I felt a large _JERK _and I was lifted up. My eyes met a pair of fiery orange pupils, infected with rage. His lifted his arm, ready to slice my stomach. My eyes closed, waiting for the end.

But thankfully, it wasn't my tim to go; It was Samson's.

"Get cho' ugly hands off my niece! Uncle Frankie's in the room!" Frankie burst through the door, a shotgun clasped in his hands.

"…Uncle Frankie?" Was all I could say at that moment. I wondered how the hell he had a shotgun.

"Hey darlin'" His finger pushed against the trigger.

BEWSH!

His aim was extraordinary.

The huge bullet hit Samson straight in the skull. It blew him back with such a force he went straight threw the wall of the house.

However, my face was about 2 meters from Samson's, so I got a little thwack in my skull before smacking into the wall once again.

I saw a blurred ball of Uncle Frankie running towards me, his big Converse sneakers near my face.

Then it all turned to black…

"Hey…"

That voice. That same seductive voice.

My eyes darted around the room. Wait… not a room.

It more like a black blur. Great. I was in the little dream world again.

"Stand up… You have to stand up…"

I looked down and noticed I was on the floor, sitting crossed legged. If I was knocked out, how could I sit up?

My legs shook as I stood, my knees knocked and my ankles shuddered.

My hair felt weird, it wasn't on my shoulders. My fingers felt up over my head. Chopsticks. My hair was up in chopsticks.

I took another look down. I wasn't wearing my jeans and my t shirt. It was a dress. A black corset dress that was a little above my knees. The only thing I had been wearing before I passed out that I was wearing in this dream world were my Converse sneakers. My left sneaker a deep purple, my right sneaker a rich navy.

Something lightly touched my wrist, making me gasp.

"Don't turn around. Please…" The voice crept into my ear.

The light touch of his fingers rose up to my stomach, where his arms wrapped around me. My eyes followed his arms to his hands. His right index finger had a ring, and on his left wrist was a tattoo of a dagger wrapped in ivy with a blood red rose on the tip.

"You'll meet me in time, your just gunna have to wait, beautiful…" The whisper made me shiver, but not a shiver in fear.

"Why are your arms around me? Why do you speak to me in that really seductive, whispering way?"

"Also Have you noticed you look a little older…?"

A mirror rose from the blackness beneath. I saw the person behind me, but only a shape. The arms were like a normal human, but from his biceps up it was like a black shadow. I looked at the eyes, they were of the palest blue.

Then I looked at me. He was right. I did look older. My chest was bigger, my legs were longer, my face looked more… mature. I looked sixteen.

"That's right… That's how old your gunna be when you meet me…"

"Woe! What the hell! You can read my thoughts now?" My face turned from neutral to a fearful mixed with curious.

"I can read them in this world…" His hands traced down to my hips.

"Sixteen. I'm sixteen in nine months."

"So… I'll see you then. It's a date…" The shape's face made a smile before I sank into the shadows beneath me.

"Your waking up from your little 'coma' you've been in. Have fun…"The shape blew me a kiss before The blackness of shadows buried me…

What the hell?

"Esther? Esther? Wake up darlin'." Uncle Frankie's worried eyes sank into mine.

I looked around. The room was white. A TV was in the corner and next to me was a monitor. A heart monitor. It beeped at an even count every time. Sounded like someone had a normal heartbeat.

"Thank the Lord! She's awake and has a steady heart! I was so worried!" Uncle Frankie's eyes were red and looked sore. His hand was in mine, it shook profusely.

Finally energy spurred inside me, giving me the energy to speak.

"Frankie.. Why the hell do you have a shotgun…?

He gave a chuckle, making me chortle with him. The moment was warm, we felt happy.

"That's a long story, and sorry for nearly killing you. I was only aiming for your bastard of a teacher." We both burst out laughing at that.

Then I thought of something grave. "Wait, what about Samson?"

"What about him?" He had a sip of water that was on a small desk next to the bed.

"He's dead, obviously, but how have you hidden his… Well… Corpse?"

"Don't worry bout im'. A close friend has disposed of im'. He's out of our lives for good."

The doctor strode in and looked at the charts at the end of my bed. The doctor had his face covered, and he wore a white hood. We couldn't have caught any identity on him. We knew the doctor was male from his broad and wide shoulders. Also from his low voice.

"I'm sorry Mr Ridgeway, but can I speak to Esther alone for a few minutes?"

Uncle Frankie shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "All right then, won't be long. I'll get ya a Snickers at the vendin' machine." He walked out of the room while the doctor closed the door behind him.

A cold shiver slithered down my spine.

"I need you alone, so I can just…"

He let down his hood and robe. I could've had a heart attack at that moment.

"See what your blood tastes like!" his fangs withdrew and his eyes filled with hunger.

He lunged at me, claws splayed. I lifted my arms and pushed forward. A wave of that dark shadowy stuff flew at him and whacked him straight into the wall.

The shadows unconnected me from the wires in the machines and lifted me into the air. The shadows poured from my arms and feet, covering the room.

The pesky vampire tried to attack again, but this time the shadows grabbed him under the control of my hand. My hand twisted, his body twisted simultaneously inside the shadows. His moans of pain turned into blood-curdling screams of agony.

Do I really? I thought to myself, do I really have the guts to murder someone (or should I say something?) ?

My fingers shook in the shadow grip as I heard a bone crack. He bellowed in pain.

I was about to release him, I couldn't do it.

BANG!

A big hole was blown through the wall

Bright light shone into the room which made the shadows retreat. I fell to the floor and crawled up to the front of the bed. The vampire lay on the floor, a trail of blood leaking from him.

A girl wearing a large coat walked through the gap in the wall. She had long dark hair, and a fireball hovered in the palm of her hand.

She was followed by a tall figure wearing a suit and a hat. The figure turned to face me,

except he didn't have a face.

It was a skull.

The figure held a revolver, but placed it back into his suit jacket.

"Apologies for bursting in like this, but let me introduce myself. I am Skulduggery Pleasant, and this is my partner in crime, Valkyrie Cain." He pointed to the girl who gave me some kind of bow. Wasn't sure why she did though.

The skeleton man looked me up and down, and looked at the shadows trying to hide from the light.

"And Esther Ridgeway, your gunna have to come with us." The girl called Valkyrie smiled.


End file.
